Summary
Merging4X style strategy gameplay, with real-time combat,Sins Of A Solar Empire 2manages to bridge two entirely different genres. There is no turn-based combat in this game, although the player does have the option of pausing gameplay to issue fleet commands and queue up construction and research projects.
Fleet combat takes placein real-time, with the player constructing diverse fleets of ships, with the right balance of unit types, to achieve a specific goal. This means that although the AI can take control of a fleet and fight automatically, much better results can be achieved if the player makes an effort to micromanage each unit type.
7Zoom The Map Out To Locate Fleets
Look For The Fleet Icons
The prelude to any real-time fleet engagement inSins Of A Solar Empire 2, is forming fleets and moving them into a suitable staging position. It is possible to select fleets using the picker on the left-hand side of the game screen. However, this will shift the focus of the map to the location of the fleet that has been selected.
To quickly check the location of fleets without moving the focus of the map, simply zoom out all the way. Each fleet has its own icon, which is clearly visible when the map is zoomed right out in thissci-fi game.
6Stay In Formation
So That All Units Arrive Together
The real-time combat inSins Of A Solar Empire 2often begins with moving a fleet into a different sector by sending them into a phase lane. All ships have their own movement speed, and when added to a fleet, will continue to use this maximum speed. The result is, the fleet moves with the fastest ships arriving at the destination first. This can be disastrous when initiatingspace combat.
Therefore, it is important to change the fleet movement speed to the Move in Formation setting. This will force the fleet to move as a unified whole, at the speed of the slowest unit. All fleet members will arrive at the destination together with this setting.
5Stay Aware Of Procession
Planets Orbit And Shift
Sins Of A Solar Empire 2has fully simulated planetary orbits. This results in the galaxy map being in flux and constantly evolving. When it comes to combat, this is an important consideration. A planet that is far away right now, may move much closer due to this mechanic. Meaning that it could become a good invasion target.
The game has a function that will show the future impact of planetary orbits on the galaxy map. Use this function to keep aware of which planets will be coming into close range, either as invasion targets or bringing enemy fleets dangerously close.
4Watch Phase Shift Timing
Phase Lanes Change
Following on from the previous section, the orbit of planets has a direct impact on the length of phase lanes. As planets move further away, phase lanes connecting to them become longer, meaning it takes more time for ships to travel to them. Thereal-time strategyis driven by the need to travel via phase lanes in this game.
This can be a problem in some circumstances. For example, if the player has attacked several jumps away from their home system, and suddenly needs to bring their fleets home quickly to defend against a threat. If the phase lanes have grown longer since the attack was begun, it could take a long time to bring those fleets home.
3Set A Sensible Combat Range
Rather Than Attack Everything
When a new fleet is created, the engagement range is set to attack any enemy unit or structure within the local gravity well. This means that all ships in the fleet will select an appropriate target and attack it. This can lead to units spreading out across a system, leaving some units vulnerable.
Therefore, it is important to change the combat range to either the attack close setting, or in some cases, the hold position setting, with the later setting meaning the fleet will not engage any targets at all until ordered to do so.
2Protect Vulnerable Units
Choose Targets Carefully
The developers ofSins Of A Solar Empire 2have done an excellent job of creating a wide range of units that have little overlap between types. Each unit has strengths and weaknesses. What this means, is that in thisgrand strategy game, when a player is attacking an enemy sector, they must consider which fleet units will attack each target.
For example, corvettes have very little in the way of defensive abilities. They excel at working as a swarm to take down large targets such as capital ships that have little in the way of defense against this kind of attack. However, sending the same corvette swarm to attack a starbase, with heavy point defense capability, would be a mistake.
1Exploit Unit Strengths
Specialized Units Are Force Multipliers
The flip side of the previous section, is that each unit has offensive capabilities that suit attacking specific types of targets. Using the right type of ship to attack a target is crucial, as it will ensure that the target is destroyed faster, minimizing losses.
For example, attacking a starbase with units that need to move into close range will expose the attacking units to the heavy defenses of the starbase. However, using torpedo frigates to attack the starbase from long range will result in zero fleet losses for the player.
